|
On March 4, 1849, James K. Polk completed his term of office as President of the United States. However, President elect, Zachery Taylor was not to be sworn into office until Monday. Normally, the Speaker of the House would assume office during the interim, however, Speaker David R. Atchinson had not been re-elected, and was to finish his term that same Saturday. The Senate met and agreed to extend Atchinson's job one day. On Saturday night the inauguration festivities kept Speaker Atchinson out all night long. He gave his housekeeper strict orders that he was not to be disturbed as he went to bed early Sunday morning. Atchinson crawled into bed on that early Sunday morning looking forward to a restful sleep! As a matter of fact, he did find complete sleep, for he did not emerge from his chamber until Monday morning! And so, it was in 1849, acting United States President, David Rice Atchinson, slept through his entire administration, and missed his moment!
We are a people of rich heritage. We read of great men and women of the Bible who lived for their moments, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, David, Gideon and Deborah, Peter, Paul and Mary! We read their stories and glory in their past! Their stories become our stories!
We are also people of the future! We have rich promises from God! We are moving toward the future--ever onward and upward! We have our eyes fixed on heaven, Philippians. 3:20; Colossians. 3:1-3. Our eating of the Lord's Supper each Lord's Day is in the anticipation and proclamation that Jesus' is coming again, 1 Corinthians 11:26.
But, we are also people of the present! The past is no longer ours. The future, though promised, is not yet ours either! All we have is now! We must seize the moment of now! Today, the present, is God's gift to us!
We don't fret over lost opportunities or long for what might have been! "If I would have done this or that....then this might have happened!" Perhaps we catch ourselves constantly dreaming about the future forgetting what we can and must do "right now"!
Joshua challenged Israel- "Choose you this day whom you will serve...," Joshua 24:15. Mordecai said to Esther, the queen, "Who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this," Esther 4:14. It was Esther's time to "speak up for God's people"!
It was the apostle Paul who taught us to "make the most of every opportunity," Colossians 4:6.
Jesus, the light of the world, healed the man born blind in John 9, and said, "We must work the works of Him who sent Me, as long as it is day; night is coming, when no man can work"!
We must not be like David Atchinson who slept away his one golden opportunity! We must realize that NOW is where we live! That's where we find people who need help, need to hear of God's love and forgiveness, mercy and grace and hope for their lives!
Tom Nuckels |